Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Ender's Game

enders game Pictures, Images and Photos
When Scarab (letterboxing trail name) and family came down, we talked books. They could not believe we'd never read any Orson Scott Card, especially his "Ender" series. On their second trip to our home, they came bearing gifts. A large tub of extra-large peanuts, (I've never seen peanuts this big. Huge, addicting Virginia peanuts), and this book, Ender's Game.

Set in the future, this book deals with an Earth that trains her soldiers young. I mean YOUNG. There are "bad insect-like guys" out there that attacked the Earth 70-some odd years ago. The Earth's governments just want to be ready.

Andrew (Ender) is a six-year old boy chosen by the U.S. government to go into training. The story deals with the mind games played on these exceptionally brilliant students. It was sometimes difficult to remember these kids' ages. They were too brilliant. I've yet to meet any child this skilled. I have a gifted son. These kids? Mini-adults,.... if the adults were super-genius Mensa dudes.

The book goes into great detail about Ender being taken from his family (psycho brother and sister he loves) to Battle School in outerspace, and everything this poor boy has to endure in order to be ready to defent the planet. The poor child.

The end though, is like.....what? Did that just happen? They did that to him and his platoon leaders? You're blown away. Then, when you think you know it all, you find out something about the bad guys that makes you even more blown away.

I can't be spoilery, because I don't want to ruin it for anyone. The "Ender" series has several books. I'm already going to get the next one in the series.

1 comment:

Niki said...

I just read this book for the first time last year and i LOVED IT! I mean i really, really loved it. I started the next one, but haven't clicked with it yet.